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ISLAMABAD: A loud explosion and rising smoke from a forest area in Kishtwar district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) triggered widespread panic on Friday, with the Indian Air Force moving quickly to deny reports of a downed aircraft. Local outlets reported panic in the Padder area of Kishtwar, a remote, mountainous district in the southern part of the territory. &quot;There are certain media outlets and social media handles claiming that an IAF aircraft has crashed near Kishtwar. This report is false,&quot; an Indian Air Force spokesperson said, as reported by several Indian news outlets. The spokesperson added, &quot;All media outlets are requested to verify information from official sources before publishing or transmitting.&quot; According to Hindustan Times, the sound was heard across the forest belt of Padder, where residents reported seeing heavy smoke billowing from the woods.&nbsp; Several local news outlet covered the story, with the Gulistan News Channel sharing video footage on its Facebook page showing thick plumes of smoke rising from dense woodland. It described an &quot;explosion-like sound&quot; that sent residents into a panic. Similarly, Greater Kashmir reported smoke rising from the forest following the blast, while Jammu Diaries posted a breaking update stating the cause had not yet been confirmed. It reported that locals suspected either unspecified activity in the area or a possible aircraft-related incident. Several local news outlets previously reported that Indian authorities had conducted a mock air raid and blackout drill in Kishtwar just a&nbsp;day earlier. It reportedly involved sirens and simulated emergency responses, which may have heightened local sensitivity to unusual sights and sounds in the area. Independent, on-the-ground verification from the region remains severely restricted. Digital directives issued in IIOJK in April 2026, including a Social Media Usage Policy, have placed strict monitoring controls on online content. Such measures significantly limit the free flow of information out of the occupied territory.

Smoke billows into the air after locals reported hearing a blast in a forested area of Kishtwar district in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. (Image credit: Jammu Diaries/Instagram)

India

A reported blast and rising smoke in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Kishtwar district is causing panic and fueling plane crash reports, while the Indian Air Force is denying any aircraft incident.

Indian air force denies aircraft crash after blast shakes Indian occupied-Kashmir district

Washington: A deadly blast rocked a US explosives factory Friday, sending emergency responders rushing to the site and prompting official warnings for the public to avoid the area as multiple people were reported missing. &quot;We can confirm there has been an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in the Bucksnort area,&quot; located in Hickman County, Tennessee, the local sheriff&#39;s office wrote on Facebook. &quot;Emergency services are currently on the scene working to address the situation. &quot;Please avoid the area to allow emergency responders to do their work. If you are in the area, stay clear and follow the instructions from local authorities.&quot; The mayor&#39;s office in Hickman County told AFP that it could not immediately confirm any fatalities or the cause of the explosion. But Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis reported &quot;some&quot; fatalities and added that several people were missing in the blast, according to US media. &quot;We do have several people at this time that&#39;s unaccounted for,&quot; NBC News quoted Davis as saying. &quot;We are trying to be mindful of families and that situation. We do have some folks. We can confirm that we do have some that are deceased.&quot; Accurate Energetic Systems, an explosives manufacturer founded in 1980, did not immediately respond to AFP&#39;s request for comment.

Americas

A deadly blast rocked a US explosives factory Friday, sending emergency responders rushing to the site and prompting official warnings for the public to avoid the area

Articles tagged with "blast"

Indian air force denies aircraft crash after blast shakes Indian occupied-Kashmir district

Deadly blast rocks Tennessee explosives plant: US media